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lose
weight?
are you ready to lose weight?
Are you ready to
Weight loss and heart disease
Being overweight means that your heart has
to work harder to pump blood around your
body. This extra pressure can cause wear and
tear on your heart and blood-vessel system.
Many people who are overweight for a long
time develop high blood pressure or diabetes,
which are both risk factors for heart disease.
In the last 10 years there has been an
increase in the number of people who are
overweight or obese. Obesity damages our
hearts and our joints, and is mainly the result
of too many calories in our diet and too little
activity. So, if you are overweight, taking
action now will help prevent you becoming
obese.
If you are overweight or obese, you should
check with your family doctor if you have
other risk factors such as high blood pressure,
diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking. Even
losing a small amount of weight will improve
your overall health and help reduce your risk
of heart disease.
You can get more information about other
risk factors from us or your local HSE Office
– see the back page for contact details.
If you have already had a heart attack, bypass
surgery or an angioplasty, it’s important that
you follow the tips in this leaflet to lose
weight. You should especially try to:
- choose oily fish (for example, sardines,
salmon, mackerel or trout) twice a week;
- choose at least five or more portions of fruit
and vegetables every day; and
- choose rapeseed or olive oil if you use oil
or oil-based dressings.
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Are you ready to lose
weight?
♥ Is your weight creeping up each
year?
♥ Do you have less energy than you used to?
♥ Do you get breathless running for a bus?
Your answer is likely to be ‘Yes’ as more than
half of Irish adults are overweight or very
overweight (obese).
By losing some of your extra weight you will:
♥ feel better;
♥ look better;
♥ lower your chances of heart disease,
diabetes and high blood pressure; and
♥ help to reduce or even stop your
medication for angina, high blood pressure
or raised cholesterol.
You may, of course, have your own
reasons for wanting to lose weight.
If you are overweight, start now and use the
tips in this leaflet to change your eating habits
and get more physically active. Even making
small changes now will stop you from gaining
extra weight over the next few years.
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Are you always on a diet?
Forget about dieting. Instead, follow a weight
loss plan for life. Make small gradual changes
to the food you eat and get more active.
Even losing a small amount of weight has
health benefits. Start with changes that are
easy to make and that you can keep up for
life – this will help you to reach a healthier
weight and then to stay at this healthier
weight.
Being a healthy weight isn’t about being as
thin as a model, in fact it is quite the opposite.
You can be a stone overweight but if you eat
healthily, regularly take brisk walks and are
generally active, it could be a healthy weight
for you.
Are you an apple or pear shape?
If you are overweight, it is where your body
stores the extra fat that can affect your risk of
suffering from heart disease.
If the extra fat is stored around your waist,
this gives you an apple shape. This shape is
linked with a higher risk of heart disease,
high blood pressure, diabetes and some
cancers. If extra fat is stored around your
hips this gives you a pear shape and this
shape is less harmful to your health.
Use a measuring tape to measure your waist
and then check the table on the next page to
assess your risk.
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Waist measurement table
Women
Healthy waist
measurement
Moderate risk
High risk
Men
Less than
Less than
80 centimetres 94 centimetres
(32 inches)
(37 inches)
Between 80
and 88
centimetres
(32 and 35
inches)
Between 94
and 102
centimetres
(37 and 40
inches)
More than 88
centimetres
(35 inches)
More than 102
centimetres
(40 inches)
Your height in feet and inches
Check your body mass index.
Your body mass index (BMI) is an easy check
to find out your weight band.
Draw a line across from your height and up
from your weight. Where these two lines
cross is your body mass index. No one
weight is ideal, as there is a range of healthy
weights for a particular height.
Your weight in stones
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If you are in the ‘overweight band’, start to
follow the tips in this leaflet. If you are in the
‘fat’ or ‘very fat’ band, get help from your
family doctor or dietitian. There is no quick
way to lose weight. A steady loss of one
kilogram (one to two pounds) a week is the
safest and most effective way to lose weight
and keep it off.
Are you ready to lose weight?
There are two important things you need to
do to lose weight successfully:
1. Get motivated to lose those extra pounds.
Keeping a diary of the food you eat and the
activities you do will help get you focused
and keep you motivated.
2. Be prepared. Planning ahead helps you
feel more in control of your weight loss.
Have plenty of healthy foods in your fridge,
lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, low-fat
snack foods like low-fat yoghurt and a light
oil spray for cooking. Have your tracksuit and
trainers ready for your walking or exercise
programme. This will make it easier for you
to start your new eating and activity plan.
Motivation!
Motivation is most important when it comes
to achieving a healthy weight. Motivation gets
you started and keeps you going.
♥ Start by making a list of the reasons why
you want to lose weight. Keep this list
and look at it when your willpower is
low.
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♥ Next, keep a food and activity diary.
Just write down what you eat for three
days and when you do any activity.
This will help you focus on what you’re
eating and what you need to change.
People who keep food and activity diaries
are more successful at losing weight than
those who don’t.
♥ Set realistic goals that you can reach over
time - one kilogram (one to two pounds)
per week. This way, you will be more
likely to reach your target weight and stay
there.
♥ Put your favourite photo of yourself on
your fridge. This will make you think
before you open the door – ‘Do I really
need this food’.
♥ Lose weight with a friend or with a
recognised weight loss group – you are
more likely to succeed.
♥ Relax! Try to manage your stress by taking
time out to do some activity. You are
likely to eat and drink more when you are
under stress.
♥ Picture yourself in your mind when you’ve
lost some weight. Think about this image
three to four times a day. Seeing a mental
picture of yourself thinner can make you
more confident that you can achieve your
goal.
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Successful tips for losing weight
♥ Look carefully at the size of your food
portions, especially when you are eating out.
Top shelf.
Very small amounts.
Meat, poultry, fish
(especially oily fish), eggs
and nuts. Choose any 2.
Choose 3 servings during
pregnancy.
Milk, cheese and yoghurt.
Choose any 3.
Teenagers and pregnant or
breastfeeding mothers need
5 portions.
Fruit and
vegetables.
Choose any 5 or more.
Bread, cereals,
potatoes, pasta
and rice.
Choose any 6 or more.
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♥ Follow the Food Pyramid guidelines.
Focus on what you can eat rather than on
what you can’t. Be strict and limit your
food choices from the top shelf. For lunch
and dinner, use a smaller dinner
plate and fill it mostly with vegetables.
Choose sunflower, olive or rapeseed oil and spreads
made from these. Use only very little oil in cooking.
Eat cakes, chocolate, biscuits, puddings and savoury
snacks occasionally, not every day.
Choose two medium servings a day, in other words,
100 grams (four ounces) of lean meat or poultry;
150 grams (six ounces) of fish or two eggs.
Eat oily fish, for example sardines, mackerel, trout or
salmon, twice a week.
Choose three servings each day. One third of a pint of
low-fat milk; 30 grams (one ounce) of cheese - choose
lower-fat cheeses like Edam, Blarney or light cheddar
and one average-sized pot of low-fat yoghurt.
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, at least five or more
portions every day. Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins
A, C and E, which are important for heart health.
Have six or more servings choosing from bread (one
slice); cereals (one bowl); potatoes (one medium
sized); pasta or rice (three dessertspoons) daily.
Choose wholegrain and high-fibre options often.
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♥ Have three regular meals each day.
Research shows that people who eat
breakfast regularly are more likely to keep
their weight down.
Some people find that
having two smaller courses
rather than one large main
meal makes them feel
more satisfied. Try choosing
fruit, vegetables or salad
as a starter, or fruit to
finish off your meal.
♥ Learn to recognise hunger. If you are not really
hungry at meal times, just eat small portions.
♥ Each week, write out a shopping list of the
healthy foods you need to help you lose
weight. Bring this list with you every week
when you’re doing your family shopping.
Try not to shop when you are hungry.
Swap foods that are high in fat for healthier
choices. You should choose the following:
Low-fat spread instead of butter or
margarine;
Low-fat milk instead of full-fat milk;
Lower-fat cheeses like Blarney or Edam,
or light cheddar instead of cheddar or
cream cheeses;
Lean meat, chicken (no skin) or fish
instead of beef-burgers, sausages and
streaky bacon rashers;
Low-fat salad dressings instead of
mayonnaise and high-fat dressings;
Yoghurt or low-fat fromage frais instead
of cream;
Fruit instead of biscuits and cake;
Small amounts of boiled hard sweets
(not too often) instead of chocolate.
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Choose healthy low-fat ways of
cooking
Oven-bake, grill, boil,
poach, stir-fry or
microwave food instead
of frying it.
Boil, steam, dry-roast or
bake potatoes instead of
having chips.
Try a light cooking spray
instead of cooking oil.
Cut all visible fat off
meat and take the skin
off chicken.
Drain fat off meat and
sauces when they are
cooked.
Choose tomato-based
sauces instead of creamy
sauces for pasta and rice
dishes.
Emergency supplies
Have low-fat ready meals in the freezer –
home-made or bought.
Have a good supply of raw vegetables and
plenty of fruit.
Home-made soup is a great comfort food,
especially on cold days. Freeze it in
microwave-proof cartons so they are easy to
thaw out and reheat as needed.
Get into the habit of carrying a bottle of
water. It is important to drink at least eight
cups of fluid each day. Water can also help
you feel full up between meals.
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Alcohol
If you are serious about losing weight, you
will be more successful if you cut out alcohol
altogether until you reach your target weight.
Alcohol is high in calories and can also make
you more hungry.
♥ Choose water or diet drinks every second drink.
If you really need to have an alcoholic drink,
try white wine spritzers or light beer instead of
other drinks, and try to drink more slowly.
♥ Do not drink more than the
recommended upper limits: 21
standard drinks a week for men
and 14 standard drinks a week
for women, spread out over the
week.
One standard drink
= one half pint of beer, stout
or lager
= one small glass of wine
= one glass of spirits (whiskey, vodka or gin).
Support and reward
♥ Get support from your family and friends.
They can help you keep motivated,
become more active with you and help
you limit the high-fat snack foods you eat.
♥ Reward yourself when you make positive
progress. To check your progress, use a
measuring tape or weighing scales (remember
that scales vary and if you’re retaining fluid
for any reason they may not give you a true
picture of your progress), or consider how
your clothes fit. Weigh yourself once a week
at the same time in similar clothes. Choose
a non-food treat for your reward – a
magazine, a DVD, a CD, a film, a football
match, a new haircut or even a top or shirt
when you have lost some weight.
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Be active to lose weight
Regular physical activity is as important as
what you eat for losing weight and keeping
your heart healthy. Being active helps burn
calories, tone your muscles and control your
appetite.
To lose weight, you need to use up more
energy (calories) than your body takes in
from food and drink. The best way to lose
weight is through a combination of:
• eating and drinking fewer calories; and
• using up more calories by being more
active.
Any activity is better than no physical activity
at all, so you could start off by being a little
more active in your day-to-day routine. Just
do more routine activities such as cleaning
the house, the car or gardening. For better
results aim to do some activity on most days
of the week. The activity can vary from routine activities to leisure activities such as
walking, dancing or sport.
To lose weight gradually build up over a
number of weeks to 60 minutes of physical
activity of moderate intensity each day. You
can spread your 60 minutes of activity over
two to three shorter sessions, for example 45
minutes walking and 15 minutes gardening.
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Moderate intensity:
• causes your heart to beat faster;
• means you are slightly out of breath but
still able to talk; and
• brings a little sweat to your brow.
Walking is an excellent way to lose weight,
especially if you have not been active for a
while. You should aim to walk three to five
kilometres (1.8 miles/2.5 km) at a moderate
pace on most days of the week.
A three-kilometre walk should take 30 to 40
minutes to complete. Gradually increase the
pace and duration and add in other activities
such as swimming, cycling, dancing or
football.
General guidelines
♥ Choose an activity that you enjoy and find
a friend or family member to join you.
♥ If you have not been active, build more
activity into your daily life, take the stairs,
walk to the shop, walk the dog or do
some gardening. This way, being more
active will become a lifetime habit.
♥ If you are not sure about your fitness level
or general health, or have a specific health
problem, it is important to contact your
family doctor before you start exercising.
For advice and support on getting more active,
contact your local HSE Office or look for our
leaflet ‘Get active for a happy heart’ (see the
back page for contact details).
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Daily menu plan
Regular meals stop you feeling hungry and
ensure that you have a daily supply of
essential nutrients. Try out the meal
suggestions below.
Breakfast
• One bowl of wholegrain cereal with
chopped fruit and low-fat milk
• One slice of wholemeal bread or toast
• Tea or coffee
Mid morning
• Fruit or raw vegetables
• Tea, coffee or water
Lunch
• Plenty of cooked or raw vegetables
• 25 to 50 grams (one to two ounces) of lean
meat, poultry, sardines, salmon, eggs or
low-fat cheese.
• Two slices of wholemeal bread or a roll
• Low-fat yogurt or a glass of low-fat milk
• Fresh fruit
• Tea, coffee or water
Mid afternoon
• Fresh fruit or raw vegetables
• Tea or water
Main meal
• 75 to 100 grams (three to four ounces) of
lean meat, poultry, fish (preferably oily),
eggs, low-fat cheese or nine dessertspoons
of peas or beans
• Plenty of vegetables
• One medium baked or boiled potato, or
three dessertspoons of pasta or rice
• Low-fat yogurt or a glass of low-fat milk
• Fresh, cooked or tinned fruit (in its own juice)
• Water
Supper
• Tea or water
• Fresh fruit
If you feel hungry between meals, choose
fresh fruit or raw vegetables to snack on.
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Local contact:
For more information, contact:
your local HSE Office or
The Irish Heart Foundation,
4 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
Phone: 01 6685001
Email: info@irishheart.ie
Website: www.irishheart.ie
Helpline: 1890 432 787
Published by the Irish Heart Foundation in 2008
HPUT00372